Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Russell-Jones

Publications and source records attributed to R Russell-Jones.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Persistent ulcerated necrobiosis lipoidica responding to treatment with cyclosporin.

We report two patients with severe ulcerated necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) who responded to cyclosporin. One patient had suffered persistent ulceration for a period of 7 years and the other had NL of recent onset. In both cases, ulceration healed completely after 4 months of therapy, and both patients have remained free of ulceration since discontinuing therapy. The possible mode of action of cyclosporin in the context of this debilitating disease is discussed.

Adult↗

Regional lymphomatoid papulosis: a report of four cases.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a chronic self-healing cutaneous eruption which is clinically benign but histologically malignant. Lesions occur episodically over the trunk and limbs. We describe four patients with regional LyP. All were male, with a range in age at onset from 12 to 47 years. In all cases, lesions were confined to a segmental unilateral area. Two patients had type A and two type B LyP. We have long-term follow-up on one patient whose lesions were limited to the right buttock for more than 20 years before more widespread lesions developed. Another patient with lesions on the left flank had mycosis fungoides limited to the same region. Only one other case of LyP presenting in a regional distribution has previously been described.

Adolescent↗

Acute dysarthria induced by low dose methotrexate therapy in a patient with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: an unusual manifestation of neurotoxicity.

Neurotoxicity has been associated on rare occasions with methotrexate therapy. We now report the case of a 71-year-old man with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma who developed symptoms of dysarthria and inco-ordination within 1 month of the initiation of oral methotrexate; discontinuation of the therapy then resulted in a gradual resolution of the problems.

Acute Disease↗

Isoniazid induced pellagra despite pyridoxine supplementation.

Although pellagra is a recognized complication of isoniazid therapy, the diagnosis may be overlooked or delayed--sometimes with life-threatening consequences. We report a case of isoniazid-induced pellagra which occurred despite pyridoxine supplementation. Drug withdrawal and supplementation with niacin led to a rapid and sustained clinical improvement. The possible mechanisms of isoniazid induced pellagra are discussed.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗

Fumaric acid esters: an alternative systemic treatment for psoriasis.

We report the successful clearance of severe chronic plaque psoriasis following treatment with fumaric acid esters (FAE) in two patients who had failed previous systemic therapy. FAE is gaining increasing acceptance for the treatment of psoriasis in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, but at present remains unlicensed in Britain.

Fumarates↗

Cutaneous graft-versus-host-like reaction in systemic T-cell lymphoma.

We report a case of systemic T-cell lymphoma with cutaneous lesions showing histological features of a cutaneous graft-versus-host-like-reaction. Histology from liver, lymph node and bone marrow showed a malignant T-cell infiltrate. T-cell receptor gene rearrangement studies confirmed the diagnosis. A cutaneous graft-versus-host-like reaction has been reported with disseminated malignancy and one case has been reported with systemic lymphoma. Graft-versus-host disease normally occurs when lymphocytes from an immunocompetent donor are introduced into a histo-incompatible recipient who is incapable of rejecting them. In our patient a similar reaction may have occurred if the lymphoma was composed of cytotoxic cells or if a cell-mediated immune response against the malignant T-cells cross-reacted with epidermal keratinocytes. Alternatively the malignant T-cells could have been functionally active and induced a lichenoid reaction in the skin.

Aged↗

Extracorporeal photopheresis in Sézary syndrome. No significant effect in the survival of 44 patients with a peripheral blood T-cell clone.

BACKGROUND: Several retrospective studies have claimed that extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) prolongs survival in patients with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In a retrospective study of 44 patients with Sézary syndrome, we compared survival in patients treated with ECP with that of patients treated conventionally at the same institute. All patients had genotypic evidence of a peripheral blood T-cell clone. OBSERVATIONS: Twenty-nine patients received ECP (group 1); 15 patients did not receive ECP, 8 patients when ECP was available (group 2) and 7 before ECP was available (group 3). Forty-three of 44 patients received other conventional treatments. Median survival from diagnosis of Sézary syndrome was 39 months in group 1, 22 months in group 2, and 27.5 months in group 3 (Kaplan-Meier analysis). Cox regression analysis showed no significant difference between the 3 groups after correcting for age, sex, and initial Sézary cell count (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-1.17; P = .12). CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support the contention that ECP prolongs survival in patients with Sézary syndrome. The median survival in the ECP-treated group is considerably less than that reported in other published series, possibly because genotypic evidence of clonality in the peripheral blood was required for inclusion in this study. We believe that a randomized trial comparing ECP with standard chemotherapy is urgently needed.

Age Factors↗

Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma: how useful is the new European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) classification?

The classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has undergone extensive revision in recent years, particularly with the development of immunophenotypic and genotypic criteria. While most general pathologists now rely upon the Revised European and American Classification of Lymphoma neoplasms (REAL), the cutaneous lymphoma project group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) has put forward its own proposal for the classification of primary cutaneous lymphomas. While this is understandable in the context of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the EORTC classification of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma has proved more controversial: first, because chromosomal changes are largely excluded; secondly, because follicle centre cell lymphoma in the skin is imprecisely defined; and thirdly, because large B-cell lymphoma of the leg is included as a separate entity. This review identifies the main differences between the two systems of classifying B-cell lymphomas in the skin, and the areas of research required to clarify some of the outstanding issues. Pathologists are unlikely to adopt the EORTC proposals for B-cell neoplasms until these issues have been resolved.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

Chronic endemic hydroarsenicism.

Chronic endemic hydroarsenicism in a 48-year-old man from Antofagasta, Chile, is reported. The literature on the global health problems of hydroarsenicism is reviewed, especially with regard to the carcinogenic action of arsenic.

Arsenic Poisoning↗

The use of immunostaining for bcl-2 and CD34 and the lectin peanut agglutinin in differentiating between basal cell carcinomas and trichoepitheliomas.

Fifteen unequivocal basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and ten unequivocal trichoepitheliomas (TE) were studied using the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA), and the monoclonal antibodies Q bend 10 and bcl-2 oncoprotein directed against the antigens CD34 and bcl-2, respectively, to see whether these markers could be used to differentiate between the two tumors. Ten percent of TE demonstrated a continuous band-like peritumorous staining with PNA and 80% demonstrated a discontinuous band-like peritumorous staining with PNA, with the comparable figures for BCC being 40% and 20%, respectively. In addition, 40% of BCC showed focal areas of pemphigus-like staining in contrast with only 10% of TE. Using the antibody directed against bcl-2, TE demonstrated weak staining mainly confined to the basal layer of tumor cells in 20% of cases and staining of the cells throughout the tumor in 30% of cases. Similarly, BCC also showed staining of the basal layer of tumor cells in 7% of specimens and staining of cells throughout the tumor mass in 40% of specimens studied. Finally, with the antibody Q bend 10 directed against CD34, staining of the immediate peritumoral spindle-shaped cells was observed in 20% of TE compared with 7% of BCC. Despite reports in the literature, we found that none of these three markers can be reliably used to differentiate between TE and BCC.

Antigens, CD34↗